Sarah Palin

Tell Mommy: Could You Do It?

This year has been full of firsts: Barack Obama duked it out with Senator Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential ticket. Now Senator John McCain has picked Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin to be his running mate — the first woman to be on a Republican Presidential ticket.

As women are making headway in the political arena, some have their doubts about Palin being able to govern with a full plate at home. She is a mother to five — including a baby with Down syndrome and a 17-year-old daughter who is expecting her first child. As a pregnant mother of one, I'm already concerned about how I will manage work, nursing and running my household. Kudos to Mrs. Palin if she can handle the country's second highest office while maintaining her family.

If elected, perhaps her personal experiences will bring light to special needs issues, maternity leave and teenage pregnancy. At the same time, I wonder if she were a man, would anyone be discussing this?

Wouldn't it be hard or harder for a SINGLE dad to raise two boys who were hospitalized after a car accident and be a first-term senator? That's what Joe Biden did - and did it on the heels of losing his wife and daughter in the accident. But he's a man. So he is praised, not questioned.

I REALLY REALLY REALLY wish this discussion were not about how Gov. Palin is going for it. I really wish this discussion had nothing to do with whether any of us wants to run for VP.Instead, I WISH this discussion asked "How will electing Gov. Palin affect working mothers in the United States?" "What is Gov. Palin's track record on supporting legislation and programs that help working mothers like herself?" "What is Gov. Palin's stand on enforcing equal work for equal pay?" "What has Gov. Palin done to ensure that single moms have the ability to support their families and work in harassment free workplaces?"Whether she is a good mom or not is important to her and 6 other people (her family). Whether she is a good candidate for VEEP or not is important to 300 million people. Whether she is a good candidate to champion for womens' rights affects us far more than whether she reads to Piper at night.And for the record, yes the commentary sexist. I would also appreciate more screen shots of her husband holding and feeding that baby but maybe that's just me.

I REALLY REALLY REALLY wish this discussion were not about how Gov. Palin is going for it. I really wish this discussion had nothing to do with whether any of us wants to run for VP.
Instead, I WISH this discussion asked "How will electing Gov. Palin affect working mothers in the United States?" "What is Gov. Palin's track record on supporting legislation and programs that help working mothers like herself?" "What is Gov. Palin's stand on enforcing equal work for equal pay?" "What has Gov. Palin done to ensure that single moms have the ability to support their families and work in harassment free workplaces?"
Whether she is a good mom or not is important to her and 6 other people (her family). Whether she is a good candidate for VEEP or not is important to 300 million people. Whether she is a good candidate to champion for womens' rights affects us far more than whether she reads to Piper at night.
And for the record, yes the commentary sexist. I would also appreciate more screen shots of her husband holding and feeding that baby but maybe that's just me.

1) I don't think it would be this big of an issue at all if she were a man.
2) I know I couldn't do it. I can barely handle my one child and job let alone 5 and public office. I don't agree with her on most of the issues, but I respect her for working as hard as she does and getting this far.

1) I don't think it would be this big of an issue at all if she were a man.2) I know I couldn't do it. I can barely handle my one child and job let alone 5 and public office. I don't agree with her on most of the issues, but I respect her for working as hard as she does and getting this far.

Right, we don't ask Barack if he can be a father and be president. No one wants to seem sexist...and I'm all for equality, but the reality of the situation falls back to the great debate if a woman can have it all. Can a woman have a syccessful career and be a fully present mother? Sure she can do both BUT not all at the same time or maybe one has to suffer. Ask any working mom. Add a special needs child into the mix and it complicates things even more. Ok, right she has a husband..and maybe he's super helpful but I believe that with a baby that young she is primary caregiver whether she wants to be or not. I believe that she is competent and strong but - we just can not do it all and do it all great (without guilt) despite what the women's liberation movement has told us. This is part of the reason why there has been a boom of births to women over the age of 40...in my humble opinion.

You know,when I was 17, I became pregnant and I can tell you one thing for sure, there was alot going wrong in my house. My parents were both working and were never there to supervise my behavior. Ultimately, I know it was my fault, not my parents fault, but these things happen when parents are not paying attention.

Every person is different. I could not handle 5 children let alone being in the PTA, mayor and governor. She seems able to handle stress well and I can't, but I won't criticize her for it because I myself could not do it. Her husband is taking care of the kids; why is that not acceptable? The age range of her children is also a factor as well. They are not so close together - lots of older ones to help out.

Good issue to bring up.
I'm still trying to figure out when to start my career.. I'm so bored with the job I've been with (7years..). I just don't want to rock the boat really until I get her into kindergarten.
...But I could never imagine juggling more than one wonderful daughter.. let alone five kids, a grand-baby on the way, and a MAJOR career in politics. It just seems like too much. It's hard enough for me to make sure I'm getting my 4-5 nurturing hours in a day with her.. let alone five kids to give attention to with a career? ..Not for me.

Good issue to bring up.I'm still trying to figure out when to start my career.. I'm so bored with the job I've been with (7years..). I just don't want to rock the boat really until I get her into kindergarten. ...But I could never imagine juggling more than one wonderful daughter.. let alone five kids, a grand-baby on the way, and a MAJOR career in politics. It just seems like too much. It's hard enough for me to make sure I'm getting my 4-5 nurturing hours in a day with her.. let alone five kids to give attention to with a career? ..Not for me.

I don't have children, I've never had major responsibility, personal and career at the same time so I couldn't even imagine how much work it would be. I still think people would be discussing if she were a he, but not to this extent. I just think that maybe a child with Down Syndrome will need her a lot more in the future (when he's like 2). The pregnant 17 year-old isn't a major problem, since she's getting married and will be responsible for her own life. If she can handle it, good for her.

I don't have children, I've never had major responsibility, personal and career at the same time so I couldn't even imagine how much work it would be. I still think people would be discussing if she were a he, but not to this extent. I just think that maybe a child with Down Syndrome will need her a lot more in the future (when he's like 2). The pregnant 17 year-old isn't a major problem, since she's getting married and will be responsible for her own life.
If she can handle it, good for her.

I think it's great to see a woman like her as the nominee. I also think that this shows how America is changing. Everyday teenagers are getting pregnant. Why should she step down because her daughter had sex. Ordinary parents wouldn't turn down a promotion just because they're teen is pregnant.

It is clear evidence that when you have kids, you are placed on the Mommy Track whether you want to be there or not. Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi did not get this, but, oh, they waited until their kids were grown to move into executive positions.

If I had a special needs child and a pregnant 17 year old there is no way I would accept a nomination to be vice-president of the local Rotary Club... So I think vice president would also be out of the question. It is not about her being a woman, it is about her being a parent and figuring out just how many of these new jobs she can do without them all suffering. I am a feminist to the core but I am not afraid to say that this situation is going to be a little different for a mother if she want to maintain her role in caring for her family in a traditional way... since traditional family values seem to be so important to her and all...

Of course we wouldn't be discussing this if she were a man.
I couldn't do this -- I am impressed extremely with her drive and her ability to handle the multitasking and spotlight (plus, she trains for marathons during all of this!!).
But on the issues? She terrifies me. I am worried that people will be so impressed with HER and not pay attention to her views on the issues.
I can agree that Bush is a loving & faithful husband and father, and that Clinton's choices were cruel to his wife and daughter, but lordly lordly, just take a guess who I would rather have as my president?

Of course we wouldn't be discussing this if she were a man.I couldn't do this -- I am impressed extremely with her drive and her ability to handle the multitasking and spotlight (plus, she trains for marathons during all of this!!).But on the issues? She terrifies me. I am worried that people will be so impressed with HER and not pay attention to her views on the issues.I can agree that Bush is a loving & faithful husband and father, and that Clinton's choices were cruel to his wife and daughter, but lordly lordly, just take a guess who I would rather have as my president?

I don't think people are asking these questions simply because Palin is a woman. I think they are asking these questions because she seems to have a particularly special situation: a young baby with Downs Syndrome and a pregnant 17 year old. John Edwards received plenty of questions and insinuations when he was a VP candidate with a wife with cancer. I think part of what Palin is dealing with is sexism, but most of it has to do with the fact that her family's needs are greater than the average family.

I wouldn't want to. I just don't understand why it's solely her job to maintain the family. No one is asking if Barack Obama can maintain the family so why should we be asking if Sarah Palin can? Am I the only one slightly offended by that type of thinking?

Of course they wouldn't be discussing it. If a man had 5 children, one with special needs, no one would wonder if he could keep being a good dad and VP, because it's assumed that the mother would take care of the kids. Maybe Palin has a super excellent husband who can handle it. No one really expects a male VP to be reading bedtime stories every night.